Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has asked police to step up security after being alerted to a purported 'Bible-burning festival' planned for Sunday in Butterworth.
"We view this matter very seriously. We discussed it at the state executive council meeting today," he told Malaysiakini when contacted late yesterday.
"I have informed Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi (right) about the matter and have requested that the police step up security measures in case anything happens."
"We view this matter very seriously. We discussed it at the state executive council meeting today," he told Malaysiakini when contacted late yesterday.
"I have informed Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi (right) about the matter and have requested that the police step up security measures in case anything happens."
He said he will issue a statement today.
The chief minister said the Seberang Perai Municipal Council has also been asked to prevent any such event from taking place at the Bagan Luar Municipal field in Butterworth.
Lim was responding to Christian Federation of Malaysia chairperson bishop Ng Moon Hing's statement that a church in Butterworth had received a ‘notice' about the event, supposedly planned for 10am on Sunday.
Ng said the notice includes an invitation to the public to attend the purported event.
Police report lodged
Alarmed by the notice, St Marks Anglican church Rev John Kennadylodged a police report at the Butterworth police station at 3pm yesterday.
He spent about four hours at the police station and said the police have taken the notice to assist their investigation.
Kennady told Malaysiakini that he had found the notice in the form of an A4 leaflet in his letter box and immediately informed Ng.
The chief minister said the Seberang Perai Municipal Council has also been asked to prevent any such event from taking place at the Bagan Luar Municipal field in Butterworth.
Lim was responding to Christian Federation of Malaysia chairperson bishop Ng Moon Hing's statement that a church in Butterworth had received a ‘notice' about the event, supposedly planned for 10am on Sunday.
Ng said the notice includes an invitation to the public to attend the purported event.
Police report lodged
Alarmed by the notice, St Marks Anglican church Rev John Kennadylodged a police report at the Butterworth police station at 3pm yesterday.
He spent about four hours at the police station and said the police have taken the notice to assist their investigation.
Kennady told Malaysiakini that he had found the notice in the form of an A4 leaflet in his letter box and immediately informed Ng.
He then lodged the police report, and said the police have taken a "serious" view of the matter.
It is yet to be ascertained if the notice is a hoax as it is not signed and does not identify the organisers.
It is yet to be ascertained if the notice is a hoax as it is not signed and does not identify the organisers.
The call to burn the Malay-language Bible was mooted by Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali (left) following claims of an incident in Penang where copies were allegedly distributed to Muslims outside a school compound.
Penang police have described this as an "isolated case".
Ibrahim has since said his call to Muslims to burn the copies, written in Jawi and using the word 'Allah', was not intended to hurt the feelings of Christians, but that it was a reaction to those trying to violate the federal constitution.
Penang police have described this as an "isolated case".
Ibrahim has since said his call to Muslims to burn the copies, written in Jawi and using the word 'Allah', was not intended to hurt the feelings of Christians, but that it was a reaction to those trying to violate the federal constitution.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.